Electrolytic lightning-arrester.



G. GILES. ELECTROLYTIC LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I3. I9I3.

Patented Aug. 1?, 1S15.-

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

G. GILES.

ELECTROLYTIC LIGHTNING ARRESTEH.

APPLICATION FILED II /IR. I3. I9I3.

I'M-LAW Patented Aug. 17, 1915. I

BSHEETS-SHEET 2.

G, GELES.

PatentedAug 17, 1915 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

GEORGES GILES, OF FRIBOUBG, S'W'ITZERLAND.

ELECTROIIYTIG LIGHTNING-ARRESTER.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12 11915.

Application filed March 13, 1913. Serial No. H3308.

To (ill whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGES GILES, e11- glneer, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Fribourg, Canton of Fribourg, in

the Confederation oflSwitzerland, have invented, certain new and useful Improvements in Electrolytic Lightning-Arresters, of which the following is a specification.

The'present invention relates to an electrolytic lightning arrester and the object thereof is to overcome certain disadvantages moment when the film is perforated on one.

electrode and the moment when it is formed on the other electrode. There is a consequent leakage of current whiclnproduces a heating of the' apparatus and tends to prevent the regular formation of the film, re-

sulting in the ultimate destruction of the condenser. In order to overcome these objections it has been proposed to connect the condenser in series with a spark-gap. The condenser being then not normally under current must be charged every day by shortcireuiting the spark-gap for a required t me. This operation is delicate, diilicult, andiuncertain. I

In working out this invention it was, my

purpose to find an apparatus which maybe connected with the mains Without an intermediate spark-gap and which is operative at a voltage near the normal working voltage. This is possible only in an apparatus which permits the arrangement in a small volume of a large number of elements in series in such a manner that each element has to carry only a relatively few volts. In this manner the heating of the apparatus even in alternate current use is avoided. On the other hand an electrolytic apparatus based on the film principle is never intended for an excessive voltage and is punctured immediately, when, for instance, double the normal voltage is applied thereto, and this is so even when it is made in such a manner that one element is designed for only 2 to 3 volts. I

According to the present invention, the desired result is obtained by the employ ment of conducting elements or members whch I are in contact with one another, forming a chain the ends of which are connected with the terminals of the apparatus, these elements being placed in a. liquid which forms an insulating film when the chain is submitted to a difierence of potential. By increasing the number of the elements forming the chain, the tension. between the neighboring elements may be reduced at will and. a chain of great length and formed of a. large number of elmenls may be placed in a small space. In order to prevent the chain-links from welding together during the passage of a current due to an excess voltage, a resistance may be.

connected in series with the chain.

In the accompanying drawing, igurel is a. side elevation of a lightning arrester illustinting a simple form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a modification thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of another modification. Fig.4 and Fig. 5 are respectively a longitudinal section and a plan view of a further modification, and Fig. (i is a longitudinal section of a modification of the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5.-

The lightning a rrester represented in Fig. 1 comprises a tube a of insulating material, such for example as glass, which contains distilled water I) or other material. and in which is a chain c. for instance, of aluminium, the links of the chain being of any desiredfo'rm. Ii? a voltage is applied to the ends of the chain, an insulating film is formed on the links which prevents the passage of current through the apparatus. In the case of a sudden excess voltage being applied the film is temporarily broken and permits a current to pass through the ap paratus, momentarily, and then'the film is reformed preventing apermanent short circuit through the apparatus.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2 rings of, made for instance of aluminum, are strong on an insulating tube 2 between an end piece 7" and a ring 7 made of conducting material. The. end piece f is supported by aconducting shaft which is placed in. the tube a. The end of the shaft g projects put of the upper, end of the tube a and forms one ofthe terminals of the ap paratusl A (spring It extends between the ring and a conducting piece 11, forming the second terminal of the apparatus and by a binding screw or otherwise. The

piece'i is fixed in the upper portion,of an insulating receptacle for containing water or other material, and closes the receptacle tightly. This form of the lightning arrester works in the same manner as the form shown in Fig. 1.

In order to prevent the passage of electric currents between any of the ringscl through the liquid an insulating tube provided with holes and with an insulating cover for instance a cylindrical wick of cotton may be placed around the rings as shown by dot and dash lines in Fig. 2.

The Fig. 3 shows another form of the invention, in which the chain Z, formed of aluminum links, is placed in the jets of water of a water-jet lightning arrester of the usual kind.

The form shown in Fig. 4 and Fig.5 comprises a body m of insulating material,

which is placed like an ordinary insulator on a shaft n., o and 0 are two sections of a mam in which the apparatus is placed' and which are connected together by means of an 0111; nary self-induction coil 7). The body wt fon'us a. reservoir containinga liquid m into which extends a cylindrical projecting portion "m of the cover m Which'is held in place on .thefbody m by the screw-nut m. ,()n the 4 projecting portion on is a helical tube 1' of insulating material. One end of the tube r is fixed in the cover m and contains the chain 89 One end of this chain is-secured in the conducting piece at which is supported by the cover, and is connected, by means of the conductor u, to one of the sections of the mam. The other end of the chain is connected to'a conductlngring e which is arranged on the projection m of the cover. 0 The liquid WhlCll is interposed between the ring 1. and the shaft a through which the excess voltage passes to earth, forms a'resistance which prevents the links of the chain from welding together when an excess voltage passes. I

The Fig. 6 shows a further modification wherein the self-induction coil is made of a conductor a which is arranged in a groove.'

in the outer surface of the hollow body m. In this modified form the chain s'is placed in a helical channel m arranged in the projecting cylindrical portion at of the cover.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electrolytic lightning arrster comprising a receptacle, a plurality of aluminum links in contact with one another forming a chain passing through the said receptacle, and a solution also within the said receptacle, in which the links of the chain are immersed for re-forming an insulating film on the surface of the links when the sameare subjected to a difference of potential.

2. An electrolytic lightning arrester comprising a liquid tight receptacle, a member extending into the said receptacle and having a helical channel provided therein, a chain formed of aluminum links placed in the said helical channel, and .an aqueous solution in the said receptacle forming a resistance in series with the said aluminum links of the chain.

3. .An electrolytic lightning arrester comprising a liquid tight receptacle, a member extending into the said receptacle and having a helical channel provided therein, a chain formed of aluminum links placed in the said helical channel. an aqueous solution in the said receptacle forming. a resistance in series with the said aluminum links of the chain, and a conductor comprising a self-induction coil wound directly upon the surface of the said receptacle. 7

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGES GILES]. 

